A Challenge
by satomobile
Summary: Tenzin reflects on his past relationship with Lin and ways in which she has challenged him. Linzin featuring some of the old Gaang.


Challenging was the word he used to describe her to Korra. It was, he thought, the quickest way to sum up her being, though the Lin he knew was far more complex than any one word could encompass. If it came down to one word, challenging would have to suffice.

He couldn't possibly pin-point his earliest memory of her, but if he chose any memory at random he's certain she'd have been bossing him around in some way. Though Lin was the youngest in their playgroup, she tended to direct the play and assign each of the kids their roles in games of "house". Tenzin was always the family's poodle pony. His brother and sister didn't always fair much better with Bumi usually occupying the role of the butler and Kya, depending on how well she and Lin were getting on that day, vacillating between the roles of mother and maid. Lin, of course, was Queen of the United Earth Kingdoms. Challenging indeed.

Remembering their first kiss was far easier. Well, the actual first one- a quick peck on the lips when he was twelve- hardly counted because she had done it on a dare. While Tenzin had quite literally been floating on air immediately following, Lin had drug her forearm across her mouth with a horrified cry of "yuck!" as several of their classmates laughed. From that moment he knew he was hooked on Lin Bei Fong. It would be awhile before his feelings were reciprocated.

In the following year Lin had transformed from a bossy young tomboy, into a bossy young woman. With dark hair, light eyes, and a cavalier attitude, Lin dazzled the young men in school. She blossomed slightly earlier than some of the girls of her age and this metamorphosis coupled with her low voice gave her an air of sexiness where cuteness usually prevailed. She seemed untouchable to many of the young men which was just fine with Tenzin. Other potential suitors soon lost interest after finding themselves on the receiving end of Lin's acerbic barbs regarding their cracking voices and questionable masculinity. In this area, Tenzin considered himself a seasoned professional. He'd known Lin long enough to realize she disenchanted people in this way to see if they were truly interested. "If you can't stand the heat..." she would say airily after knocking the wind out of some poor boy's sails. She wanted a challenge and Tenzin was more than happy to rise to it.

He held firm as she threw everything verbal stone she could, occasionally catching her off-guard with a witticism of his own. Mutual respect began to grow like a weed out of the rubble of their banter. Soon, glimpses of the real Lin began seeping through when he least expected.

The most powerful memory he had of this was during Annual Harmony Week. Each year since the Hundred Year War had ended, Republic City celebrated with decorations, firework displays, and festivals. In school, the students did memorial projects and attended historical re-enactments of the war and its glorious end. Tenzin dreaded this week every year after he became cognizant of his family's starring role. To his mind, this week was nothing but a sore reminder of how alone he was as an Airbender and a fresh reason for his classmates to heckle him. This particular year, Tenzin had begrudgingly sat in the audience at a performance that intoned Avatar Aang was the savior of the human race. Tenzin kept his eyes trained on the ground as jeer full whispers swirled around him. He would never have looked up if he hadn't suddenly felt Lin's hand slide over his, her fingers curling under his palm. He attempted to give her a grateful smile, but she never turned her head to acknowledge their change in proximity. She simply continued to watch the performance, eyes forward, and he knew she understood.

Even still, their first real kiss was over a year later. On Lin's sixteenth birthday, Toph had decided to throw her a party at their home on the outskirts of Republic City. The Bei Fong home was on a huge plot of land, but the actual residence was quite modest. Toph tended to enjoy her time outdoors and was keen for Lin to be as close to "Mama Earth" as possible, so here the two of them settled. Just the two of them. Lin's father was not entirely in or out of the picture. He would pop up at some life events, others he would miss. Lin mentioned him occasionally and Tenzin later discovered that she wrote letters to him religiously for years getting few in return. As far back as Tenzin could recall Toph was raising Lin alone.

This sixteenth birthday party was an event he was due to join. Tenzin's family were among the first to arrive that afternoon and though Lin attempted to downplay her excitement, she failed miserably. The wide grin on her face and the expectant glances she was constantly casting over people's shoulders during conversation was indisputable proof that she was bursting to see her Dad.

Dusk settled over the party as everyone began to sag, full of cake and conversation. Sensing the need to move forward, Toph merrily declared that present opening was way over-due. Lin insisted on waiting for her father. Tenzin noticed the worried look that passed between his mother and father at Lin's desire to wait.

Soon, dusk gave way to twilight and the fireflies joined the party blinking happily around the guests who had slowly begun to file out with well wishes. At this point, Toph had become frustrated by her absentee ex and her stubborn daughter, so she pulled Lin aside by the elbow to have a word.

"You gotta open your presents so you can thank everyone before they skee-daddle," Toph advised in what she probably thought was a whisper. Lin, being sighted was well aware by the way people began to look at their shoes, that everyone had heard.

"No, Mother," she hissed back, "I'm waiting for my Dad."

"He's not coming, kid." Toph spat out in aggravation. At that, Lin yanked her arm out of her mothers grip.

"How would you know?"

"Because I know him. He aint gonna come around the corner after sixteen years with an armful of flowers, wanting to suddenly be part of our lives."

"Whose fault is that?" Lin delivered pointedly.

Katara slapped her hand over her mouth.

Kya reached out and touched Lin's shoulder, "Lin..."

Before she could finish her thought, Lin turned on her heel and stomped her way out of the yard, disappearing into the street. Kya moved to follow her, but Toph interjected.

"Let her go. She's not going to listen to you. Never listens to anybody..."

After an awkward moment, Toph recovered with a smile, "Welp. Thanks for all the loot guys, glad you got to stick around for the show too!" It didn't take long for the remaining guests to depart after that.

"Never a dull moment at the Bei Fong's," Bumi joked as he and his siblings meandered back home.

"Don't be a jerk, Bumi," Kya warned as a ripple in the air crossed them.

"Did you feel that?" Tenzin asked.

"What?" his siblings asked in unison. He should have known he would be the only one to feel the small disturbance in the air current. Low to the ground as if there was some kind of a rhythmic earthquake happening in the direction of Republic City Park. After a minute of observation he realized the rhythm undulating through the air was actually an old earth kingdom nursery song.

"I think I forgot something back at the party. I'll catch up to you guys," he said quickly turning around and heading for the park.

It didn't take long to locate the source of the little tremors. Not far inside the gates, Lin laid on her back looking up at the moon-less sky, tapping out a song with her fingertips.

"Hey," she said plainly before he approached.

"Mind if I sit?" Tenzin asked walking up alongside her.

"Do I have a choice," she deadpanned rhetorically.

"Not really."

Tenzin sat next to her in silence for a few minutes, then stretched himself out next to her and took in the night sky. She didn't avert her gaze whatsoever, but she did stop tapping. Her right arm slid across her ribcage and gripped her left, thumb mindlessly tracing circles against her own skin. Tenzin noticed that Lin had a habit of doing this whenever she felt particularly vulnerable, it was some sub-conscious way of protecting herself. His mind raced with something to say to break the silence when he finally settled on,

"Beautiful evening."

"Mmm"

"Its amazing how many stars you can see at new moon," he followed. For awhile she said nothing in return, then seemingly out of the blue she piped up.

"I don't understand why a person would say they are going to do something when they know they won't."

"Like your father," Tenzin ventured. Lin replied with a curt nod.

"Its just strange. You always hear people say that your parents, your family, are the only people you can really trust...and if you can't even trust them..." she trailed off, face impassive.

Tenzin felt desperate to give her some comforting words. He wanted to tell her to trust him, that he wouldn't ever make her feel this way, that she was beautiful and smart and the most talented bender he knew, and that her father didn't know what he was missing, but he stayed silent. Somewhere in the back of his mind he recalled his own father telling him that touch was the most important sense for an earthbender, so he slid his hand over and laced his fingers around hers. From the corner of his eye he thought he saw a star begin to twinkle, but turning his head he realized it was just the light bouncing off a tear that had formed at the corner of Lin's eye. It rolled lazily across her temple and into her hair, but others soon followed. He tugged her hand lightly toward him and with an sharp intake of breath she rolled onto her side and buried her face in the crook of Tenzin's neck.

"I don't know why I'm so mean to my mother," she confessed, her voice muffled. Tenzin said nothing but rubbed her back. They laid there for a long time while Lin cried herself out, each tear its own confession and she knew he understood.

As Tenzin walked Lin back to her house, it had not escaped his notice that she had not let go of his hand. He was exhilarated and nauseous all at once. He attempted to act as relaxed as possible, but realized that Lin could probably feel the spastic beating of his heart through the ground. The band in his chest struck up and extra special crescendo as they approached her front door.

"Thank you, Tenzin" she said quietly turning to face him. He nodded stoically, for fear that if he opened his mouth to reply, he might just lose all the cake he'd eaten. He noticed her eyes darting between his own and his mouth. His eyes followed. Lin's eyes. Lin's mouth. Eyes. Mouth. Eyes. Mouth. Oh my, she was moving closer.

When their lips finally met he felt as if he'd lost his ability to breathe entirely. Luckily, Lin seemed to sigh into him, parting his lips to deepen their kiss. He awkwardly settled one hand along her hip, the other moved up her jawline and behind her neck, drawing her further in. Suddenly, they heard the creaking of a floorboard from inside the house and reluctantly parted. Lin, for her part couldn't seem to look Tenzin in the eye. He marveled at seeing this side of her, feeling very lucky.

"So..." he began awkwardly "Happy Birthday..."

Lin let out a small laugh.

"Are we, uh..."

"Are we what?" she cut him off, regaining herself.

"Are we... I mean, do you want to like, go out. Like...be my girlfriend."

"Think you're up to the challenge?" she asked with a wickedly teasing smile.

Tenzin looked skyward, appearing deep in thought for a moment. She lightly hit his ribcage.

"Yeah...I think I can manage."

"Ok then."

"Ok."

"WOO HOO!" Came Toph's voice on the other side of the door. "Way to go, kiddo! Turnin' on that ol' Bei Fong charm!"

"Mo-ther!"


End file.
